scarlet petals
by AnimeTricia
Summary: Once again peace is restored to konoha, until a serial killer strikes. And people start to question if Sakura was really dead. Please read and review :D
1. BEginnings

HEY! New story :D read~~~

Summary: A new killer is in town, Sasuke and Naruto are called to investigate. But they would never guess how much they would be in for a shock.

She stood on the roof, her eyes glancing at the bodies which lay dead under her. Her short kimono swaying in the wind, glittering softly under the gentle moonlight, her sleeves were altered that her shoulders could be seen and her skirt altered short.

Her hair was tied into a traditional bun, only a few strands of hair from her fringe escaped the bun, but it didn't make her any less beautiful.

"Gentle petals in the wind,

One by one they fall to their knees.

Some shrivel and die by the roots,

While others drown in their painful sins…"

Her voice a deep echo throughout the night, and with that, the dark silhouette disappeared, when the final breathe of her victim ceased.

Next morning…

"A new victim?" The fifth Hokage asked.

The shinobi in front of her only nodded her head.

Tsunade sighed, before giving the shinobi a sign to be dismissed.

"Tsunade-sama, the victims are increasing terribly fast, and they seem to be at random." A worried shizune voiced her concerned to the fifty-year-old who was now staring out the window, deep in thought.

"Call Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke here." Tsundae's authoritive voice rang throughout the room. Shizune immediately got up and went to get them.

As the door slammed, Tsunade let out a sigh. Recently there have been killings in Konoha, it started only a few month ago, at first it could be just assassinations and murders from outside, but it started getting weirder when the killings became from once a month to once a week and now at least once a day. Who could be doing this? And worse was that nobody could get a lead on the killer, there was no murder pattern, no similarities between victims, nothing at all.

Tsunade sighed, looking out of the window.

3 years ago, Sasuke had come back, knowing the truth about the Uchiha Massacre. Apparently Uchiha Madara was behind everything, from the kyuubi attack to the framing of the Uchihas. After so many years, he had finally come back with a repentant heart. Sakura was the happiest, but the two idiotic old advisors were against it. They had a trail to see if Sasuke was fit to resume his position as a ninja in Konoha, or if he should be executed. Many people were over on Sasuke's side, knowing that he was only blinded by revenge. But to everybody's surprise, Naruto wasn't.

Nobody except Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura know what happens next, cause the next day. Sakura was gone.

After a year, Sasuke was officially pronounced as a Konoha citizen again, but that day Sakura was also officially pronounced as a missing/dead-nin.

All traces of Sakura had vanished, and nobody has a clue on why she left. Only a trail of questions left in her path.

"Just what happened Sakura?" Tsunade asked out loud, she missed the girl so much that it ached her heart to even think about her, she was like her own daughter.

Naruto's voice broke her thoughts, "you wanted to see us Tsunade-baachan?"

Tsunade turned to see the two man standing in front of her, they had grown so much since they were little. 

"I want you to do night patrol around Konoha, to try and catch the murderer which has been loose these days, and also you are both required to check the border walls around Konoha, check evey man and woman who comes in or goes out. Also be aware if there are anybody who is going to use jutsu to escape."

Two nodds of agreements before Tsunade dismissed them.

But none noticed the figure near the window, sitting on the roof listening intently on their conversations.

And when the sound of the door slamming, the figure disappeared. Just like last night, but for this disappearing act, she left a small hint to who she was. It was a cherry blossom petal. Stained scarlet.

-.-.-.-

"Who do you think is the murderer?" Naruto asked Sasuke as they walked out of the Hokage's tower.

Sasuke only grunted not replying, Naruto only puffed up his cheeks in discontentment. Despite letting go of his vengeance, Sasuke still treated everybody the same. Still answering questions with only a grunt, and the largest of smiles he can give is only a smirk. It gets on people's nerves as much as before.

Sasuke on the other hand couldn't care less on what other people think. Most of the girls that have had a crush on him were now either married or taken. Even Ino was now dating with Shikamaru. But even if so, the person Sasuke was really interested in was Sakura.

But now she was gone.

As the passed the square, he stopped together with Naruto. Taking a good long look at the Cherry Blossom tree that stood proudly in the middle. It was they're way of respecting Sakura, on remembering her.

How did it all end up this way? Sasuke asked himself.

-*-*-*Flashback-*-*-*-*

"Why were you on their side Naruto!" Sakura screamed.

They were in the comfort of the Uchiha Residence. When Sasuke got back they said they would have a team 7 gathering/ sleepover. Sai was invited too. But he declined, leaving Konoha for a period of time to pursue his dreams of being an artist.

"You won't understand," Naruto muttered.

"Then make me." Sakura said again. Her eyes usually filled with light and happiness, were now filled with anger, determination, desperation to find out the answer and… fear?

"Sakura, you won't understand! It's complicated!" He shouted.

"How do you know if you haven't tried to explain!" Sakura shouted, the fear growing more and more prominent, as if she's afraid of knowing the answer.

"Why don't you stop getting on my back and just disappear!" Naruto snapped before realizing what he just said.

Shock covered all the other emotions in Sakura's eyes, suddenly her eyes hardened. The glare given was now as cold as ice.

"If that's what you want." She had whispered before she left.

-*-*-*Flashback ends-*-*-*-*

They expected her to just ignore them for the rest of their lives or make their lives a living hell, or hate them for all eternity (or at least say that). They would never have known that she would really disappear.

"c'mon," Sasuke said, "We have a long night, might as well get some sleep now." He told Naruto

Naruto nodded his head as they took one last look at the Sakura tree before parting.

How they didn't know how much that night would impact they're futures.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Night had quickly came and Sasuke and Naruto were on their Night patrols. Alert and awake. At least Sasuke was, Naruto was yawning away.

"Didn't get enough sleep dobe?" Sasuke asked, getting irritated as Naruto yawned another time looking like he was about to doze off any second.

"Teme, You asked me to sleep at noon, who in the world can sleep at noon!" Naruto said defensively.

Sasuke only rolled his eyes as he continued walking.

It was fine for a while, only until a light breeze breezed by. It was not wind, it carried a faint scent, a human scent.

Sasuke and Naruto realized it and immediately chased after it. The scent was quite strong in the air, almost like the person was trying to lead them to him or her.

The scent lead to the cherry blossom tree, but to their shock, it was not the gentle pink that was once there. They were scarlet.

"Beautiful isn't it?" A gentle female voice echoed, the voice bouncing on the walls making it hard to find the exact position of the person. It was the type of voice that could put a person to sleep if it sung, that had a warm feeling if filled with love. But the voice was empty of emotion, it wasn't singing. There was no love in it. It gave them a sense of dread.

But Naruto didn't feel that, he was beyond furious. The tree was the only thing that reminded them of Sakura, and now it was ruined.

"Who are you! How dare you ruin Sakura's tree!" He shouted to the unknown person. His voice too bounced off the walls, the only sound in the square during that night.

"Did you say Sakura or Sakura's?" The voice asked, dragging out the 's' at the end.

"Obviously Sakura's! You ruined the only thing that we have of our friend!" Naruto shouted at.

Sasuke had a bad feeling, the voice seemed eerily familiar, it couldn't be any of his enemies, they were all dead. It wasn't any of his ex-teammates either. He was going mad, Who is the person Naruto is talking too?

"Friend!" The person spat. "You call her your friend!" She cried.

Naruto was shocked that she said that.

"If she was your friend you wouldn't have done all the things you did, you would tell her _everything_! You wouldn't _lie _and most importantly wouldn't wish she'd _disappear_!"

There was no way anybody knew about that day, it could only be…

Nobody needed Sasuke's Sharingan to know who was the person now.

A slim figure stepped out from the thick branch of the cherry blossom tree. The first thing they noticed were the cold emerald eyes, and the second, the trademark pink hair tied in a bun, accompanied with jewels and those chopstick thingys. (A/n: PLEASE review to tell me what they're called so I can quickly change the name…)

"Hello boys, long time no see." The pink lips curved into a smirk.

"Sa…Sa…Sakura?"

OKAY! First chappie done :D hope you like it! Review PLZ!


	2. Why!

Second chapter! Enjoy :D:D:D

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Sakura?" Naruto's shocked voiced echoed across the square.

Sakura stood in front of her, intact, a long and beautiful figure standing on the thick branch of the Sakura tree. She wore a kimono, the hem only reached to her thighs; the long sleeves covered her whole arm, only her fingertips were seen. Her hair was a bun, while her bangs were allowed to fly freely flying around her face.

The only thing that stopped them from hugging her was the fact the she was glaring at them.

Cold expressionless eyes glared at them, the emerald eyes looked like one of a feline cat. And it was the only that they saw the clearest in the dark night.

"Sakura-Chan, where were you?" Naruto exclaimed, stepping forward.

Sakura disappeared from the branch to stand in front of them.

'So fast…' Sasuke thought, she was never so fast back then.

But as she stood in front, a figure dropped with a splash into the river, that grabbed Naruto and Sasuke's attention, and their attention turned to horror when they saw the river turn red as a body floated up onto the surface.

Naruto turned back to Sakura, his eyes now wide with shock.

"Sakura… You're…"

Sakura looked at him; slight humor touched her eyes as she looked at him.

"Yes Naruto… I am your killer."

"How?" Naruto shouted.

"Sakura was kind! She loved Konoha, she loved everybody! And she wouldn't even dream of hurting anybody she loved!" He was about to continue until Sakura's chuckles stopped him.

Sakura who was laughing while shaking her head, turned up to meet his eyes, "I changed Naruto, nobody remains weak forever."

Slight flute music floated over from the side. It was a melody Sasuke knew.

"Tayuya?" He asked in disbelief.

"Ah… so Sasuke, you remember my cousin…" Sakura stated, smiling cruelly under the moonlight.

Tayuya emerged from the side walk, her dressing just like Sakura's, her hair also bunned up, and wearing a kimono. Despite their talking, Tayuya did not stop playing. Sasuke was suspicious, and his internal question answered when he saw another body floating behind her. It looked like it was carried by the music.

Tayuya stopped playing and the body dropped to the ground with a thud.

"2nd victim dead." She stated casually, looking at Sakura.

"Good, now we just have to wait for the two others." Sakura answered,

"What two others…" Sasuke asked, now dreading the answer.

"Oh, you'll know soon enough Sasuke-_kun_" The suffix added like a mocking tone.

"3rd victim dead." A low voice rang from the other side of the building.

Sasuke recognized the voice.

"Karin." He greeted monotone.

"Sasuke-kun… long time no see~ did you misses me after nearly killing me?" Karin stated, sugar coating her words. Another obvious mock directed to him.

Karin turned to Sakura again.

"Is Hiro-sama here yet?" Karin asked Sakura.

"No, aniki asked us to come home ourselves, he knows that we would be able to handle ourselves."

"Don't be out to late; Hiro-Sama wouldn't like it." Tayuya stated.

And with that Karin and Tayuya disappeared.

"'Aniki'? Don't kid me Sakura-Chan! You don't have a brother!" Naruto exclaimed, unable to accept the big blow of information he had just absorbed. Sakura, the serial killer behind it all, with the biggest criminals in the bingo book, Karin and Tayuya, and wasn't Tayuya supposed to be dead?

Sakura laughed…

"Long story Naruto…" she looked at them, a smirk playing on her lips.

"But I believe you two have the time for a little story…"

She jumped onto the branch again.

"Follow me." A soft whisper echoed through the air as she jumped onto the nearest route, running off.

Sasuke and Naruto followed without a doubt.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Sakura ran in front of them, slow enough them to follow but fast enough that they couldn't catch it.

Suddenly, in front of a house, Sakura stopped, turned sharply around.

For a minute Sasuke almost thought her emerald eyes were golden. But before he could make sure, he was engulfed into light.

It turned dark again and they were still in front of the house, but instead of just the house, there was a whole clan. All in together just like how the Uchiha residence.

"Once upon a time…" An eerie voice Sasuke recognized as Sakura's.

"There was a clan, the Haruno clan, happy and honored, one of the most honored clan in Konoha. They bore many prodigies; they were one of the powerful clans even. Rivals of the almighty Uchihas."

People started filling through the clan.

"But such as sad fact…"

Clouds covered the beautiful place. And thunder shook the place, lightning flashed across the sky.

"But the Uchiha's were threatened when they heard that the Haruno's had bore their ultimate prodigy. Hiro Haruno and Saki Haruno. The siblings were to bring the Harunos ultimate glory, nothing lesser than the siblings of the head of the clan."

Screams filled the place.

"Threatened, the Uchiha's came and slaughtered the Haruno clan in a night. And even better, Konoha agreed to it. They heard from some stupid fortune teller that the siblings would bring destruction to Konoha, so they actually sent them to kill us."

Bodies now filled the place, killed brutally.

"They walked away laughing, carrying on their life in happiness."

Figures started to leave, all carrying the symbol of the Uchiha.

"Well, at least one Uchiha had the heart."

Sasuke's eyes widened when he say his brother, the last to leave. Carrying a infant and a child, no older than 3 years old out. The disappeared into the night.

"Hiro was adviced from their hero itachi to leave the village, for he was discovered, he would be killed. While he saved Saki and brought her to another family of commoners."

The place changed into another house, a little house, along the roadside.

"And here Saki grew, and learned. Under a fake built identity. Of Sakura Haruno."

Finally everything disappeared from his eyes as he found himself standing in front of the mansion again. Naruto next to him, also having seen the same thing only stared back. Sakura looked back at them.

"So much memories in this little house no?"

Sakura stated, poison seeping through her every word.

"And you know what the irony was?" Sakura looked straight at them.

"My parent's were going to create a treaty, through marriage, their daughter to marry the Uchiha's oldest son."

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"Yes, Sasuke, I was supposed to be your brother's fiancé."

For once Naruto and Sasuke were speechless.

"My brother approached me that day when you guys told me you hated me Naruto, he told me the truth."

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto started

"Don't call me that!" Sakura growled at him, "You only thought me as a nuisance, always getting in your way no? That was all I ever was good for anyway. Getting in people's way. So sad… so sad…" Sakura laughed a bitter laugh.

"Sakura-chan listen to me please…" Naruto pleaded.

"What's there to listen?" A cold voice interrupted them.

Sasuke turned his head sharply.

"Itachi?" he stammered out.

-.-.-.-..-.-.-.-

Itachi stood in front of them, now cradling Sakura in his arms.

"Your brother is worried that you're taking so long."

Sakura laughed.

"I was just talking to some of my teammates Itachi-kun… Aniki worries too much."

They talked like they didn't see Sasuke and Naruto.

"Aniki… how are you alive?" Sasuke asked in disbelief.

Itachi's sharingan eyes looked at him.

"Hiro saved me. He found me dying, replaced me with another body. Which hilariously Madara mistook as mine."

He nuzzled Sakura's neck.

"We have to hurry… Hiro is having a fit as we speak." Talking to Sakura again.

Sakura sighed… "You're just impatient to get into the bed, pervert."

Itachi smirked, "That too."

Sakura leaned into Itachi's touch.

"let me finish and I'll be back."

Itachi sighed, giving her neck a little kiss, before disappearing.

Sakura turned her attention back to her ex-teammates.

"Just tell Tsunade-_shishou _that there is something big coming. That she wouldn't even know what hit her. The ultimate revenge is coming."

With that, she too disappeared into the night. A scarlet petal where she stood.

-.-.-.-.-.-.

FINALLY DONE~~~ 3 you know you want to press that [review] button ;)


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